Indian National Abducted by RSF in El-Fashir Returns Home

An Indian national, Adarsh Kumar Behara (36), has returned to Odisha State in eastern India after being held hostage for 45 days in Sudan, following his abduction from the city of El-Fashir in North Darfur State by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Indian officials said on Wednesday.

Indian Member of Parliament Biphu Prasad Tarai said Behara was released after intensive diplomatic efforts, noting that his return journey took place via Abu Dhabi, from where he traveled to Hyderabad, before arriving on Wednesday morning at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha.

According to accounts and circulating videos, Behara was abducted at gunpoint in El-Fashir by RSF elements, who filmed footage showing him in their custody and later broadcast the videos on social media platforms.

According to Indian local media, Behara said upon his arrival in India that his ordeal during captivity was a “harsh experience,” adding: “This is a new birth for me. I did not expect to survive after my abduction. I was tortured, denied food for days, and imprisoned.”